Silo.



C. J. STAHLY.

SILO.

APPLICATION mm 0:019. 1914.

1,1 60,006. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

C J. STAHLY.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19, 19M.

1,160,006, Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAsmNG'roN. D. c.

C. J. STAHLY.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l9. I914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

CHRISTIAN J. STAHLY,

earner 7, names.

OF GOSHEN, INDIANA.

SILO.

Application filed December 19, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN J. STAHLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goshen, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to silos and espe cially with reference to improvements in a combined extension and roof structure for silos and in which the roof may be used or converted into a settling extension at the top of the silo for use when filling the silo and which after the silo has been filled and the ensilage has settled may be converted back into a roof.

The present invention is an improvement on the silo structure described and claimed in my co-pending application for Letters- Patent of the United States, Serial No. 828,345, filed March 30, 1914:.

One object of the present invention is .to efiect improvements in the means for supporting and guiding the cupola or cap element of the roof, wherebythe use of a rod or tube extending downwardly entirely to the bottom of the silo may be dispensed with, and whereby all of the roof structure is arranged at the extreme top of the silo.

Another object is to effect improvements in the means for operating the cupola-and the roof sections.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a silo provided with a convertible roof and settling extension in accordance with my invention and showing the same arranged to form a root. Fig. 2 is similar view showing the parts arranged to form a settling extension. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through Fig. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts arranged to form a roof. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a portion of the roof and extension forming sections. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the hoisting rod attached to one of the roof sections. Figs. 78 are detail elevations of the root and extension sections. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the root operating devices. 7 Fig.10 is a detail perspective view showing a modified construction of the hinges. V Fig. '11 is a similar view. of one of the eye bolts,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 878,137.

For the purposes of this specification an ordinary silo is indicated at 1 and is shown as constructed with thick walls, but may be constructed in any suitable manner, and is preferably'provided with a chute, as usual, inclosing suitable ladder rungs 2 and discharge openings for the ensilage. These openings are not shown here, but may be arranged at any suitable points. At the top of the silo are hinge members 3, shown as strap hinges, which hinge members are tastened to the inside of the silo wall and each member is provided at its upper end with a single eye 5 or a pair of eyes, spaced apart, as may be desired. ,These hinge members are arranged at suitable points around the top of the silo, and an eaves ring 4 runs around the upper end of the silo wall and projects outwardly therefrom, as shown. Also on the upper end of the silos wall, and at its inner side, is an angle ring 4 which has a vertical web 4 and a horizontal, outstanding web P. A weather ring 5, which is horizontally arranged, and is vertical in cross section, is secured on the angle ring P, its lower side being in the angle between the webs 4:, 41 and said weather ring being secured to said web 4:. The eyes of the hinges are at the upper side of the said weather ring.

Roof sections 6, which also form extension sections, according to whether the structure is arranged as a roof or a settling extension, are pivotally connected to the hinge members 3 by eye bolts 7, bolts 8 passing through the eyes of the eye bolts and also through the eyes of the hinge members. The shanks of the eye bolts pass through the roof sections and are secured to them by pins or cotters whichpass through openings in the shanks. Each section is in practice a substantially rectangular piece of sheet metal pivotally connected upon one side to an adjoining section by one of the eye bolts 7 so that the sections are pivotally connected to gether as well as hingedly or pivotally mounted on the top of the silo and hence the 11 pass across the lower ends of the angle irons 10 andsaidangle irons are provided with adjusting openings 12. The eye bolts may be placedin appropriateadjusting tocompensate for the variations in the diameters of SllOS and hence adapt the roof structure to be used on silos of different sizes. 1

7 One of the sections 6 is provided with a manhole'l -and also with a hinged door 14 to close or. open the manhole and with steps. or rungs 15,.the said steps or rungs and the manhole door being arranged on. the outer side of said section. v A V A support 16 is provided which is here shown as a bar long enough to extend across the silo at its upper end and provided at its ends with plates 17 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the under side thereof and which are formed at their outer ends with hook members 18 to engage over the upper edge of the silo wall.- This support is hence removably fitted on the upper end or top of the silo and serves to support the tubular standard 19.

- closed in my co-pending application, for

Letters-Patent hereinbefore referred to,this

tubular-standard extended to the bottom'of. the S110 but by theprovision of the support 16 I am enabled to dispense with the lower portion of said tubular standard so thatthe interior oft-he silo is entirely unobstructed.

On the said tubular standard is a slidable sleeve 20 which in practice may be a' malleable casting.- At its lower end the said I v sleeve is formed with integral outstanding eyes 21 throughwhich extends a pivot ring.

22. The inner ends or lower ends of the braces 23 arepivotally mounted-on said ring, 1 between the eyes 21. The outer ends of said braces are pivotally connected to the upper tubular standard 19, above. the sleeve 20 and ends of the roof sections 6. :To enable this to be done the irons 10-11 are formed with int-urned arms 24 at their. upperends and A sleeve 27 which is similar infconstruction to the sleeve 20 is also slidable on the is formed at" its upper end withintegral out- J standing eyes 28 through which extends a pivoting ring 29. Theupper ends oftruss. bars 30 are pivotally connected to said ring, between said eyes; their. lower ends being pivotally connected-as at 81'to' the braces 23,-

? at points intermediate the endsof the :latter. A fixed stop collar 32iis secured toi'the tubula'r'standardat a, suitable distancef-rom-the In the structure dis-' upperend of the latter and'pulleys 83 are c'onnectedto the upper end of said tubular standard I openings to provide for the necessary adjustment of the sections, which are arranged in partially overlapping relation, and also A cupola or cap 34 is provided for-the roof,

is tubular in form, with its upper end closed and, its-lower end opened and is provided with a flared base 35 to fit over the upper ends of the, section 6 when the latter are arranged to form a roof. This cap or cupola is also provided with a centrally arranged guide rod and: support 36 which slides in the tubular standard 19 so that the cupola is guided by said tubular support.

The-upper endoftherod 36" may be extended as here shown to also support a weather vane 37. Ends 38. extend down wardly from the cupola and have' their lower. ends bent inwardly and secured-together as at 39 to form a triangular frame around and which isslidable on the tubular standard. A pulley ldisconnected to one, side of said frame as shown.

7 One of the sections 6 is provided atits upper end with a pulley 41 which is here shown as attached to one of the arms 24. Anoperating rope 42, from the outside of the silo is passed over the pulley 41. It then passes under one of the pulleys 26, then over one of the pulleys 33, then downwardly under the pulley 10,

then upwardly over another pulley 33,-then downwardly under one of the pulleys 26,

then upwardlyover another pulley 33, then downwardly under another'pulley 26, andsoonuntil it en ages all of the pullevs '33 and 26. and is finally-fastened at its inner end either to the sleeve 20 or to the top of the tubular standard l9 .near the first pulley 33, the latter arrangement being here shown.

When the parts are arrangedto forma roof, D

thebase of thecupola rests over the upper corners of the sections 6, the latter are in clined, the sleeve is lowered so that the braces 23are in nearlya vertical position, diverging upwardly, and the sleeve 27 is lowered and arrangedat a point below the stop collar 32 sothata truss rodor bar 30 1s arrangedlat an acute angle convergingupwardly. When the rope is arranged as shown .in the drawings and with its outer end hanging down on' the outside' of the silo, the roof! can be opened from the outside of the "silo, and this may be done jby cording to the size of the silo and the weight of the roof. The downward pull of the rope owing to the'engagement of one of its I ,bights with the pulleyO of thecupola firstmeans ofa suitable winch orman'u'ally 'aclifts-the cupola sothat its flared base clears and is released from the upper corners of the sections 6, and continued pulling on the rope causes the same, through the instr-umentality of thepulIeysBS-and 26,.to raise the sleeve-1 20, thereby causing said sleeve to thrust the braces 23 outwardly and cause said braces to turn the roofsections to "a vertical posi-f tion, and as the braces thus operate and are moved upwardly, the truss bars 30 exert upward thrust on the sleeve 27 and cause said sleeve to reach the stop collar 32 as the sections 6 reach their vertical position, the upward movement of the sleeve causing it to strike the stop collar and hence move the latter upwardly a slight distance, together with the tubular standard 19 so that the lower end of the tubular standard is raised from the support 16, and the latter may then be readily removed from the top of the silo so as to leave the silo entirely unobstructed.

The roof is generally not operated from the outside of the silo excepting when the extension is filled with ensilage. The rope may be arranged to enable the roof to be operated from inside the silo, in which event the rope is disengaged from the pulley 11 and is arranged with its free end inside the silo, the rope being passed over the first pulley 33, then under the pulley tO, and over the second pulley 33, then under one of the pulleys 26, then over another pulley 33, then under a pulley 26, then over another pulley 33, then under a pulley 26, and et cetera.

To enable ensilage to be hoisted and placed in the silo, I provide a hoisting rod d4, the upper end of which is reversely arranged as at 4:5 and provided with a hoisting pulley 16 for the elevator rope. The said hoisting rod is arranged in a pair of guide eyes 47, one of which is secured between the inturned arms 24 of one of the sections 6, the other guide eye being secured to one of the angle bars of the said section. This enables the hoisting rod to be adjustably mounted vertically, and when the same is moved upwardly so as to extend above its carrying roof section, it is secured in such elevated position by a suitable pin L S which passes therethrough and bears upon the lower guide eye.

In the modified form of one of the hinges shown in Fig. 10, said hinge member is provided near its upper end with an outturned arm 1 to extend to the outer side of the wall, this form of hinge member being especially adapted for use in a silo which is constructed with a thin wall of lumber, or other like material. I would have it understood, that any suitable form of hinges may be employed for the roof sections.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A silo, a support at the top of the silo, a standard on said support and arranged centrally of the silo combined roof and extension sections pivotally mounted on the silo for vertical angular movement and also for movement toward and from each other at their upper ends, an element slidable vertically on the standard, braces connecting said element to said sections, a second element slidable vertically on the standard, truss bars connecting said second element and said braces, means to raise and lower said vertically movable elements and a vertically movable cupola guided by the standard and also operated by the raising and lowering means of said elements.

2. A silo, convertible roof and extension sections on the upper end thereof, a standard extending centrally above the silo, upper and lower elements movable vertically on said standard, braces connecting the lower element to the sections, truss bars connecting the upper element to said braces, pulleys attached to the lower element, pulleys attached to the standard above the upper element, a vertically movable cupola guided by the standard and having a detachably extending frame provided with a pulley and an operating rope engaging all of the said. pulleys.

3. A silo, convertible roof and extension sections on the upper end thereof, a standard extending centrally above the silo, upper and lower elements movable vertically on said standard, braces connecting the lower element to the sections, truss bars connect ing the upper element to said braces, pulleys attached to the lower element, pulleys attached to the standard above the upper element, a vertically movable cupola guided by the standard and having a detachably extending frame provided with a pulley and an operating rope engaging all of the said pulleys, a support at the upper end of the silo for said standard and a stop on said standard for engagement by the upper vertically movable member for the purpose set forth.

4. A silo, convertible root and extension sections on the upper end thereof, a standard extending centrally above the silo; up per and lower elements movable vertically on said standard, braces connecting the lower element to the sections, truss bars connecting the upper element to said braces, pulleys attached to the lower element, pulleys on said element, a vertically movable cupola guided by the standard and having a detachably extending frame provided with a pulley and an operating rope engaging all of the said pulleys, and a direction pulley for said rope mounted on the upper end of one of said roof and extension sections.

In testimony whereof I. afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. CHRISTIAN J. STAHLY.

lVitnesses:

A. C. MEHL, ALVA MEHL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

